“…Impossible.”

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By now, you’re familiar with my story, but if you’re just tuning in, I’m a single Dad, divorced 16+ years, never remarried. What?! you ask. Never remarried?! you say! But you’re so cool, you’re so understanding, you’re so… Yeah, I get that alot!

All kidding aside, splitting the holidays through the years was somewhat challenging, not so much for the schedule, but more-so for the time I didn’t have with my children. Missing out on some of the special occasions like buying the Power Ranger school supplies and dressing them up for school pictures was difficult, but being there for the looks on their faces when Santa delivered what they wrote him for was worth it every time.

Just because they’re teens doesn’t mean anything has changed. They still deserve to be treated special and get what they deserve. And I still write the Easter bunny and Santa every year to make sure they arrive for those days I have them with me.

Some things have changed though. Since my children have gotten older, they do things a little differently. When they were growing up, they gave me special little gifts like candles or ceramic crafts they made in school. Now they appeal to the side of me that wants to spend time with them. Now they take me out to eat dinner, they take me to an occasional movie, or at least pay for the snacks if I take them.

Every year that passes, Santa now visits me and so does the Easter bunny. Oh I still miss those hand-made cards, seeing those decorated eggs that say I ♥ Dad on them, and bookmarks that are used until they’re shredded beyond belief until they are no more – because I could not throw them away.

I guess I never stopped believing that it was important for me to be there because they needed me. And in turn, they have never stopped believing I’ll be there for them.